Sorry, but the burka pales to insignificance....

Not impressed with the about-turn by GN and not remotely convinced by their argument!

I like threads where they title of the thread clearly signals the subject matter.

I am not clear what this thread was meant to be about. We have already explored ideas about the hideous situation in Syria in an earlier thread. True, it was to no avail but that is also the case with the UN. So far as I am aware we have a consensus on President Assad. We have already agreed that the killing and wounding of civilians, many of them children, is appalling and heartbreaking. We are aware that refugee camps in neighbouring countries are dreadfully overcrowded and getting worse daily. Some of us, I have no doubt, have contributed to charities attempting to alleviate the situation.

I confess I was unable to stomach that yawping woman and her badly written song.

I confess all this kerfuffle means I haven't opened the thread yet so I only have a vague idea of what the OP was about.

The change in the heading has focused attention even more on the language rather than on the issue JO8 was highlighting!

Some do pull their faces when unknown Gransnetters win prizes, Ana.

Ana .

The Silent Majority do seem to win most of the prizes.

Takers, not givers!

I find hot-headed discussions of torture/execution methods offensive.

I can't see why anyone who never posts on a forum would complain about a thread heading. I don't complain when they win prizes in competitions I haven't entered!

GNHQ's editing doesn't seem to have achieved its aim, does it?

Just caught up with this thread and until HO said it had altered the title of the thread I thought I was going mad. It most certainly is one of the least controversial topics posted on GN for heavens sake.

It seems to me that the common sense approach would be if you don't like the OP, or the title, don't bother looking at it. Accept that maybe this thread is not for me, I will leave it to the others. It's not as though it was the subject of the thread that is being challenged which would obviously be open to debate/disagreement/argument. Sadly the sentiment behind the OP has been railroaded and the continuous gripe against swearing has become the bigger topic.

Personal sensitivities will be challenged all the time. Some find swearing a problem, some find sexual talk offensive. I for one would hate to see GN sanitised.

I thought the post was to try and make us think of the sadness of the conflict and heartbreak of Syria?

Riverwalk why can't they have opinions and complain? Gransnetters who don't post also enter competitions and win prizes. I don't post on Gransnet Twitter or Gransnet Facebook, but I read them and have opinions. It's all part of the overall Gransnet experience.

when

I'm sorry When but in my opinion you can't really complain how a forum/thread is developing if you don't contribute!

How can their views and sensitivities be taken into account if they don't post?

I presume if someone feels strongly enough they would say so, or vote with their feet and seek a different thread or just make use of other parts of GN.

The majority of GN is non-controversial so plenty to choose from.

I'm totally confused about concern for those who don't participate on the forums!

Well, some of the silent majority are probably the ones objecting, Jingle! Aren't there more than 15,000 Gransnetters now? People forget they have views, even if they choose not to post.

How can we dismiss the view of the silent majority when?!

Sorry, but this thread has got ridiculous and should be pulled. The subject matter probably never had much chance on Gransnet anyway.

I need to point out that I didn't like the way the 'f' word was used in the title but actually swear like a trooper and therefore don't class myself as a 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' sort of person.

You have missed my point Gracesmum, some find the issue of the word used in the title more worthy of comment that the content itself, they cannot see beyond the word.

Why do they then not just ignore it and go somewhere else on Gransnet where the language is more to their taste, why make a fuss and try and influence Gransnet to become what they want it to become, is there not room for all here, those who use and accept swearing and those who do not?

And as for my use of the term slanging match, I have had many similar discussions here on Gransnet for a long time and in my experience it very often becomes personal. I do not want to derail the thread any further.

I certainly have no desire to instigate a "slanging match" (interesting term, cf. "flyting" = ritual insulting dating back as far as Viking times!) based on the premise that it take 2 to participate. I merely asked what you identified as "wrong" with GN.
Your point about the thread being derailed by comment on the title surely bears out what others have said, i.e. the need to focus on the issue that the thread is about.

I have no problem with swear words (use them myself), didn't bother reporting, thought GNHQ were wise to revise their opinion about how the title comes across, and often think about the thousands of Gransnetters who don't post and are probably the Silent Majority, not Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells.

Isn't it patronising to dismiss their view, too?

Just caught up with this thread, perhaps as a new poster I shouldn't comment but hey ho - if the 'f' word had been used throughout a post I could understand posters being offended but in this case it was used in anger / dispair / helplessness - just once , and I can so understand this . why is the use of a word some disapprove of more important or more upsetting than the deed which caused the poster to 'explode' ?

My point was that a well meaning thread on a very serious subject has been derailed (and I accept some of the responsibility for this) by those who have nothing better to do than complain about a swear word being used by an adult to other adults. They may not like it but they do not have the right to try and force their opinions on others to the extent that their opinions colour the way in which people express themselves on this site.

Gracesmum, no, I really don't want to get into a slanging match with you over my opinions of what is wrong with Gransnet.

It has all been said before ad nauseum.

Kat what an appallingly patronising attitude that someone who wears a burka would only read the title and wouldn't be able to work out what the thread was about!

I agree with Diva and Ana.

Do we believe in censorship or don't we?